Chocolate Covered Eclairs
This twice cooked pastry was created by a chef named Pantarelli as a member of Catherine de Medici's court in around 1540. It can be made into sweet or savoury dishes but is most commonly used for éclairs or profiteroles. It uses moisture in the batter instead of yeast to allow it to expand. Fill with custard or cream and top with a chocolate ganache. Once mastered, this pastry is a gem to work with.
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DIRECTIONS
- In a heavy saucepan, bring to a boil the water, milk, salt, sugar, and the butter. Once all the butter has melted, remove from heat.
- Add the flour all at once and beat firmly. Return to heat and cook stirring constantly until it forms a wet dough and is leaving the sides of the saucepan, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Stirring quickly, add the eggs one at a time. Allow to cool a little.
- Transfer the pastry to a piping bag and pipe out 6 inch long cylinders approximately 3/4 inch in diameter. Space evenly on a baking tray because they will swell when cooking.
- Cook in a moderate oven, 350 degrees F. for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Fill with your favorite sweetened cream or custard and top with a chocolate ganache.
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